Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy

Key takeawaysSpoilers

The fight is optional, but it is a major decision point for Volcano Manor and rewards careful preparation.

• Use the arena weapon The Serpent-Hunter Great Spear is inside the boss arena and is the intended counter to the God-Devouring Serpent and Rykard. Equip it before committing to your first attack; its long-reaching attacks are considerably more suitable than trying to fight the boss with a normal short-range weapon.
• Finish Volcano Manor contracts first Rykard's defeat advances the manor's story state and can remove access to unfinished contracts and related NPC interactions. Complete the manor activities you still want before entering the Audience Pathway.
• Treat the two phases differently The first phase emphasizes positioning around the serpent's head and avoiding lava, while the second adds Rykard's sword and large-area skull effects. Keep enough stamina for movement instead of spending every opening on attacks.
• Do not waste the Remembrance immediately The Remembrance of the Blasphemous can be exchanged for unique equipment through Finger Reader Enia. Holding it until you decide between its possible rewards preserves that choice.

Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy overviewSpoilers

Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy is an optional Elden Ring shardbearer fought in the depths of Volcano Manor. The encounter has two linked phases and strongly expects the player to use the Serpent-Hunter Great Spear placed in the boss arena.

Rykard is found at the end of the Volcano Manor route in Mt Gelmir, where he appears first as the God-Devouring Serpent and then reveals his transformed lord form. Unlike a conventional boss encounter, the arena supplies a purpose-built weapon that creates long-reaching attacks against the enormous serpent. The fight is therefore less about bringing a particular character build and more about recognizing the weapon, equipping it quickly and using its special reach to stay outside the most dangerous parts of the creature's body. This makes Rykard a distinctive spectacle encounter as well as a progression choice for players exploring Volcano Manor.

The player can reach Rykard through Volcano Manor and its surrounding dungeon, including the route that leads through the Prison Town Church and the Temple of Eiglay area to the Audience Pathway. Volcano Manor also contains a separate recusant questline involving contracts and manor residents. That questline is not simply background flavor: defeating Rykard changes the state of Volcano Manor and can end access to outstanding manor activities. Players who intend to complete the manor's contracts or collect its NPC rewards should finish those objectives before entering the final boss battle.

The battle begins against the God-Devouring Serpent in a broad arena with damaging lava around the boss. The Serpent-Hunter's attacks produce the distance needed to strike the head without standing directly in the lava or beneath the serpent's body. After the first health threshold, the encounter changes into a second phase against Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, whose sword attacks and supernatural skull effects cover more of the arena. The same weapon remains the recommended tool, but the player must now watch both the blade's reach and the airborne hazards.

Rykard matters beyond the immediate victory because defeating him awards a Great Rune and a Remembrance, while also resolving one of the game's major factional conflicts. The Great Rune requires a separate activation step, and the Remembrance can be exchanged for distinctive rewards rather than being consumed immediately for runes. The most important practical decision is consequently made before the fog gate: complete any unfinished Volcano Manor content first, then pick up and use the Serpent-Hunter instead of treating the encounter like an ordinary melee duel.

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Route to the encounterSpoilers

Requirements and preparationSpoilers

No particular build, damage stat or conventional weapon type is required, but the encounter is much more manageable when the player uses the Serpent-Hunter and clears Volcano Manor's outstanding content first.

• RequiredAccess to Volcano ManorReach the manor in Mt Gelmir and follow a route to the Audience Pathway. The exact route can differ depending on how the player enters and progresses through Volcano Manor.
• RequiredA decision about Volcano Manor contentReview the manor's contracts and NPC objectives before the fight. Defeating Rykard can end the remaining manor sequence, so delaying the boss is the safer choice if any rewards or dialogue are still unclaimed.
• RequiredSerpent-HunterPick up the Great Spear inside the arena as soon as the fight begins. It is the encounter's intended weapon and gives melee characters a practical way to hit the boss from range.
• RecommendedHealing and focus resourcesBring enough healing and resource support to maintain repeated weapon skills across both phases. The fight can last longer if the player spends the first phase learning the spear's spacing.
• RecommendedA clear arena planIdentify a safe line between the boss's head, the surrounding lava and the arena edges before attacking. The second phase adds effects that punish standing still, so reserve room for lateral movement.

Encounter phasesSpoilers

1. 1

   Phase 1: God-Devouring Serpent

   Starts: The encounter begins when the player enters the boss arena.

   First phase health bar; exact value is not verified here.

   The serpent remains low and close to the lava, with its head serving as the clearest target. Use the Serpent-Hunter's long-reaching attacks from outside the lava and avoid standing beneath the creature's body.

   • Serpent biteTell The head pulls back before lunging toward the player.Answer Keep the Serpent-Hunter ready, step or roll away from the bite line, then punish the recovery with a long-reaching attack.
   • Lava spit and eruptionTell The serpent raises or turns its head as molten attacks appear in front of it or around its body.Answer Move laterally rather than retreating directly into the arena edge; attack only after the immediate lava zone has settled.
   • Serpent grabTell The head opens its mouth and commits to a direct lunge.Answer Roll away from the mouth instead of trying to trade damage. This grab should be treated as unblockable and is especially dangerous when the player is close to the head.
   • Underground movementTell The serpent shifts its body and can disappear partly beneath the arena's surface.Answer Stop attacking during the displacement, track where the head re-emerges and avoid the lava trail before resuming spear attacks.
   • The Serpent-Hunter's special attacks are the safest way to maintain distance while still dealing meaningful damage.
   • Do not chase the body through the lava. Let the head come into a favorable line and use the weapon's reach instead.
2. 2

   Phase 2: Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy

   Starts: The second phase starts after the God-Devouring Serpent reaches its phase transition.

   Second phase health bar; exact value is not verified here.

   Rykard rises from the serpent and uses a large sword alongside the arena's fiery and skull-based hazards. Keep attacking with the Serpent-Hunter, but give greater priority to moving away from overlapping area effects.

   • Blasphemous sword swingsTell Rykard raises or sweeps his large sword across the arena in broad arcs.Answer Stay at the outer edge of the attack line, roll through the timing when necessary and punish the end of the swing with the spear's reach.
   • Magma and ground eruptionTell The floor around Rykard becomes dangerous as molten effects spread from his attacks.Answer Move sideways through open ground and avoid getting pinned between the boss, lava and an arena boundary.
   • Homing skull projectilesTell Fiery skulls appear and travel through the arena after a visible spell effect.Answer Keep moving around the arena rather than circling in a tight space. Continue attacking only when your route is clear of the approaching projectiles.
   • Skull rain and sweeping explosionTell A large-area supernatural effect develops above or around the boss before crossing sections of the arena.Answer Create distance, watch the effect rather than the boss's body alone and wait for a safe opening before using the spear skill again.
   • The second phase is won more reliably by preserving a movement route than by standing in front of Rykard for maximum damage.
   • If the camera loses the boss in the visual effects, prioritize the ground and projectile paths, then reacquire Rykard before attacking.

Boss encounter strategySpoilers

• Location
  Audience Pathway in Volcano Manor, Mt Gelmir
• Health
  Two-phase encounter; exact health values are not verified here.

Enter the arena, immediately locate the Serpent-Hunter and equip it before committing to the fight. Use its heavy and skill attacks to strike the serpent's head from range, repositioning whenever lava or the body blocks the approach. During the transition, maintain awareness of the arena rather than unloading every resource; Rykard's second phase combines broad sword coverage with moving skull effects. Keep circling through open ground, attack after the sword recovery or after a projectile pattern passes, and avoid being trapped at the arena edge. The weapon is the central strategy on both phases, so a failed attempt is usually better corrected through spacing and hazard awareness than through changing the entire character build.

StrategySpoilers

1. 01

   Resolve outstanding Volcano Manor content before the boss.

   Finish the Volcano Manor objectives you want

   Before approaching the final boss route, speak with the relevant manor residents and complete any recusant contracts or rewards you still intend to claim. Rykard's defeat changes the manor's state, so postponing this check can permanently remove unfinished interactions from the current playthrough.

   Location: Volcano Manor

   TipIf your goal is to see the manor questline in full, treat Rykard as its final step rather than an early optional fight.

   Watch outDefeating Rykard can cause Volcano Manor NPCs to leave and can make remaining manor contracts unavailable.

   Missable
2. 02

   Reach the fog gate for Rykard.

   Reach the Audience Pathway

   Follow the available Volcano Manor route through Mt Gelmir and the manor's prison-town and temple areas until you reach the Audience Pathway. The route includes hostile encounters and can be approached in more than one way, but the target is the boss access point rather than a separate arena in the manor's main entrance.

   Location: Audience Pathway

   TipUse discovered Sites of Grace to shorten the return route while learning the approach; do not spend consumables before the boss if you are still clearing the path.

   Checkpoint
3. 03

   Equip the arena weapon.

   Pick up and equip Serpent-Hunter

   Once inside the arena, move to the weapon placed near the entrance and collect Serpent-Hunter. Equip it from the equipment menu before attacking; the weapon's special attacks are what give the player enough reach to fight the enormous serpent without relying on a normal close-range moveset.

   Location: Rykard's arena

   TipIf your usual weapon is already in both hands, switch deliberately rather than beginning the fight with an accidental attack animation.

   Watch outThe weapon is easy to overlook because it is found after crossing the fog gate. Starting the fight without it makes the encounter unnecessarily difficult.

4. 04

   Deplete the first phase.

   Attack the God-Devouring Serpent from range

   Target the serpent's head and use Serpent-Hunter's long-reaching attacks while staying clear of the surrounding lava. After each attack, reset your position instead of following the body into hazardous ground; the head is the reliable damage window and the body is not worth chasing.

   Location: Rykard's arena

   TipUse the weapon skill when the head is committed to a bite recovery or has finished a lava attack, because those moments reduce the chance of trading into a follow-up.

5. 05

   Prepare for Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy.

   Survive the phase transition

   When the serpent's first health bar is depleted, Rykard emerges and the arena becomes more visually and mechanically dangerous. Stop attacking briefly if needed, identify open ground and keep the boss in view before resuming the spear strategy.

   Location: Rykard's arena

   TipThe transition is a safe moment to reorient your camera and stamina plan; rushing forward can place you in the path of the first large-area effect.

6. 06

   Reduce the second phase health bar.

   Punish Rykard after sword recoveries

   Rykard's sword has broad coverage, so do not stand directly in front of the blade and trade hits. Move outside the swing path, wait for the recovery, then use Serpent-Hunter's reach to attack before returning to movement.

   Location: Rykard's arena

   TipA single safe spear attack followed by repositioning is preferable to a longer combo that leaves you standing in the next hazard.

7. 07

   Defeat Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy.

   Navigate the skull effects and finish the fight

   During the second phase, fiery skulls and other large-area effects can overlap with the sword threat. Continue circling through available space, watch the projectile route and attack only when your escape path remains open; victory awards the boss's remembrance and Great Rune.

   Location: Rykard's arena

   TipWhen the screen becomes crowded, movement and camera control are more important than immediate damage. Keep the Serpent-Hunter equipped until the victory screen appears.

   Checkpoint

Pre-fight checklistSpoilers

• Complete the Volcano Manor contracts and NPC objectives you want to keep available.The boss can advance the manor's story state and end unfinished activities.
• Reach the Audience Pathway and activate the nearby route conveniences available to you.A shorter return route makes learning the two phases less costly.
• Pick up Serpent-Hunter inside the arena.Do this before committing to attacks against the God-Devouring Serpent.
• Equip Serpent-Hunter and make its weapon skill easy to access.The spear is the encounter's main damage tool, not merely a collectible reward.
• Keep healing and resource recovery available for both phases.The second phase adds sword coverage and projectile hazards, so do not assume the first phase is the entire fight.
• Leave a movement route through open ground.Avoid fighting with your back against the arena edge or beside overlapping lava effects.
• Decide whether you will keep the Remembrance of the Blasphemous for a unique exchange.Consuming it immediately removes the choice of its remembrance rewards.Optional

Weaknesses and damageSpoilers

Failure conditions and missablesSpoilers

• Entering the fight before completing desired Volcano Manor contractsRykard's defeat can end the manor's active quest state, causing residents to leave and preventing outstanding contracts or related rewards from being completed normally.
• Fighting without Serpent-HunterThe spear is located inside the arena and is easy to miss. Without it, the player loses the intended long-range attacks and must take much greater risk with ordinary equipment.
• Being caught by the serpent's grabThe direct mouth lunge is an unblockable grab-style threat. Roll away from the head's commitment instead of trying to absorb it with a shield.
• Allowing the arena edge to remove escape spaceLava, sword sweeps and skull effects are harder to avoid when the player is trapped against a boundary. Reposition through open ground before attacking.
• Treating the phase transition as a normal openingRykard's transformation changes the threat pattern. Reorient the camera and movement route before resuming attacks rather than continuing a long animation into the new hazards.

Rewards and dropsSpoilers

• Remembrance of the Blasphemous
  A boss Remembrance that can be exchanged through Finger Reader Enia for one of Rykard's distinctive remembrance rewards, including Blasphemous Blade or Rykard's Rancor. Keeping the Remembrance preserves the exchange choice; consuming it instead provides runes.
• Rykard's Great Rune
  A Great Rune obtained from Rykard that can be equipped after activation. Its power is not available merely by receiving it: the player must take it to the appropriate Divine Tower and restore it before using it with a Rune Arc.
• Runes
  The boss awards a large rune payout on defeat. The exact amount is not listed here because it varies with game mode and is not verified in the supplied material.
• Volcano Manor story resolution
  Defeating Rykard resolves the manor's central lord conflict and changes the state of its residents and remaining activities. This is a progression consequence rather than an inventory item, but it is one of the encounter's most important rewards and costs.

LoreSpoilers

Rykard is one of the demigod shardbearers and the lord at the center of Volcano Manor's rejection of the Erdtree's order. His blasphemy is expressed not only through opposition to the Golden Order but through physical transformation: he has allowed himself to be devoured and joined with the God-Devouring Serpent, creating a monstrous form that can consume others and grow through that union.

The recusants of Volcano Manor frame their violence as resistance to the system represented by the Erdtree and its champions. Rykard's position is more extreme than ordinary defiance because he offers a vision in which the serpent's appetite becomes the basis of a new order. The manor's contracts therefore serve as the practical expression of his faction: the player is directed against Tarnished and other targets rather than toward the conventional path of becoming Elden Lord.

The boss arena's Serpent-Hunter is a lore-significant weapon as well as a gameplay solution. Its presence signals that the serpent can be opposed by a purpose-built instrument and gives the player a connection to the hunters who sought to bring down the creature. The weapon's unusual performance in this single encounter reinforces the idea that Rykard's defeat is meant to be approached as an assassination of a specific monster, not as an interchangeable duel against another demigod.

Rykard's defeat also exposes the tension in Volcano Manor's ideals. The player can participate in the recusant path, collect its equipment and follow its contracts, but the death of its lord ends the faction's active center. This is why the encounter functions as the endpoint of the location's narrative even though Elden Ring allows it to be postponed while the player explores other regions and questlines.

Encounter entitiesSpoilers

• Serpent-HunterPurpose-built Great Spear found inside the arena.

Trivia

• The Serpent-Hunter is placed inside the arena rather than awarded after the fight, making the encounter one of Elden Ring's clearest examples of a boss arena providing its own specialized answer.
• Rykard is unusual among the shardbearers because the player fights a serpent form before confronting the demigod identity associated with the second phase.
• The Volcano Manor questline can be completed in part before the boss, but Rykard's death acts as a practical endpoint for the manor's active NPC content.
• The remembrance rewards present a meaningful choice between a weapon and a spell, so the boss's unique equipment cannot be obtained from a single Remembrance exchange without additional playthroughs or duplication.

Relationships